The Concept of Aging in Place as Intention.

Abstract

This study aimed to frame the aging in place (AIP) concept within an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model incorporating environmental domains. The proposed model depicts the direct and indirect effects of environmental domains on AIP intention. The environmental domains related to meanings of home embrace personal, built, and interpersonal environments. As partial mediators between the environmental domains and AIP intention, TPB components (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control toward AIP) were included to the model. The study sample comprised older adults aged 60 and older living in their own homes in the United States. Participants (N = 650) were obtained through an online survey with a nationwide sample. Path analyses were used to test hypothesized relationships within the proposed model. The results confirmed the significant mediating role of the TPB components between the path from personal, built, and interpersonal environments to AIP intention. Except for one built environmental construct (housing satisfaction), personal and interpersonal environmental constructs were found to indirectly affect AIP intention. One of the interpersonal environmental constructs, social connectedness, was revealed as the strongest factor in this relationship. One major implication was drawn from the role of social connectedness and neighborhood satisfaction toward AIP intention. These factors operate beyond an individual level and are closely interrelated. Because social connectedness can be promoted or discouraged by community-level physical or social interventions, the findings of this study confirm the critical role of community-level planning and programs to support healthy aging among older adults.